


I (K)Need You

by SHSLshortie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-28 04:23:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10823691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHSLshortie/pseuds/SHSLshortie
Summary: "How can that shrimp jump so high?""How can he jump that much?!""Hinata can literally jump from one side of the court to the other with no problem!""The way he jumps makes you forget that he's only 164 cm!"Someone his size shouldn't have been able to jump as high as he did. Someone his size shouldn't have been able to jump as much as he did. It was only a matter of time until Hinata Shoyou couldnt jump like that.-A Kagehina hurt/comfort fic about sports injuries, Hinata ignoring said injuries to continue playing volleyball, and Kageyama getting justifiably mad at Hinata for not taking care of himself. Will this injury end Hinata's volleyball career? Will this injury tear the dynamic duo apart? Or will it cause them to grow closer in ways they could never have imagined?





	1. Pushed Too Far

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all!  
>   
> So this is my first piece that I've written in a LONG time. Like since middle school. Thank GOD that hopefully this is at least slightly better than that...  
>   
> Here is some background on this piece: it's basically autobiographical? I just caught up with the Haikyuu!! manga and the 3 seasons of anime (after not having touched it for 2 years), and just seeing how much Hinata jumps around and runs and _uses his knees in general_ just made me cringe in second-hand pain, because I now have knee problems after 6 years of being a student athlete. SO, I got the inspiration to basically write a Hinata-insert fic into my life, with some added Kagehina hurt/comfort to make it a little bit better. This means that the accounts of the injury and recovery/doctors recommendations are pretty dang accurate, but I'm also not planning on sugar coating anything, so sorry in advance if any of it gets a little too visceral.  
>   
>  Besides that, I currently do not have any idea how long this will be, but I hope you enjoy it!

# Chapter 1: Pushed Too Far

 

* * *

 

 _"How can that shrimp jump so high?"_  
_"How can he jump that much?!"_  
_"Hinata can literally jump from one side of the court to the other with no problem!"_  
_"The way he jumps makes you forget that he's only 164 cm!"_

Someone his size should not have been able to jump as _high_ as he did. Someone his size should not have been able to jump as _much_ as he did. It was only a matter of time until Hinata Shoyou found out that he _could not_  jump like that.

Hinata was an orange fireball of energy with seemingly endless stamina — or At least, that's how it looked to everyone around him. In actuality, he just didn't know when to stop, or when to listen to his body. To Hinata, not jumping meant falling behind and being even farther away from his dreams. Not jumping with all of his power and energy was like trying to tell a crow to not fly. 

So when his body started screaming for him to stop, he didn't listen. When his knees started creaking and straining with every running start, Hinata just thought that the training camp was catching up with him. When he would wince at every diving fall after every lost set, Hinata just figured he was sore. Oh how he wished that he had listened when he had the chance. 

During Karasuno's stint at the training camp in Tokyo, they had played over 60 sets against some of the best teams in the prefecture. They had also lost almost 60 sets, which meant they had done almost 60 laps of diving falls as punishment. Even though this week was tiresome and grueling, Karasuno grew as a team with each spike, with each set and with each dive. However as everyone else grew and matured, Hinata began to fall back. His spikes no longer had the power they had earlier in the week and his jumps could no longer match the height of even Tsukkishima — let alone block a spike that came his way. With every jump, Hinata grew more and more frustrated at himself.

 _"Argh — why can't I get this!? I can't go ZOOM or hit the ball like WOOSH anymore! My legs won't let me go any higher or any faster... I don't understand!"_ He thought to himself. Every time he landed, Hinata could feel his body stiffen and threaten to fall over, and he cursed himself for being so weak. 

Finally, the last set of the training camp against Fukurodani had come. Hinata could see the light at the end of the tunnel: pork buns, the drive back to Miyagi and an actual bed to sleep on rather than a hard futon on the gym floor. Hinata hated even thinking past this next match, because it was so unlike him. Usually he relished every moment on the court and every time he could get even a finger on a ball. But right now, he was so  _sore_ that he felt like he could —

Hinata locked eyes with Kageyama from across the court for a split second, and he knew it was time. As he began his running approach for their crazy quick attack, the ginger could feel the tightness in his legs spread, and he felt like a tin man that needed some oil. Still, he ran with a fire in his eyes that could only be satiated by a perfect spike onto the other side of the court. As he saw the ball erupt from Kageyama's fingertips, Hinata prepped for his jump, about to leap off of his feet, when he could feel the burn. However, instead of flying off the ground with his invisible wings, a sickening thud was heard as he tumbled onto the polished wood surface of the court. 

A light _thump_ of the rubber ball meeting the floor, instead of the powerful  _smack_ of a spike, was met with a shocked silence from both teams when they saw the first-year crumpled on the ground, holding his left leg. A few, small, labored gasps escaped from Hinata's mouth before the sharp pain shot up his body, and produced an involuntary screech. 

His voice pierced the humid air throughout the entire gym and made every players' hair stand on end for a split second. After a beat, Kageyama yelled "Hinata!" and ran to meet the middle blocker. This began a cacophony of panicked yelling, running and questions that echoed throughout the gym from all sides. Coach Ukai, Takeda Sensei, Kiyoko and Yachi immediately picked up the first aid kit off of their bench, and ran towards Hinata. Most of the team huddled around the scene, but quickly dispersed when Suga (who had training in first aid) assigned his teammates tasks, as opposed to just crowding around and making everything more difficult. 

Sugawara instructed Yamaguchi and Tsukkishima to grab some athletic bags and jackets to put under Hinata's leg to give elevation, and ease the pressure off of it. Then he sent Nishinoya and Tanaka to go run and get bags of ice to help reduce any swelling, while telling Daichi to grab his phone and call an ambulance, and for Asahi to go find a nurse. He then crouched next to Hinata alongside Kageyama, Ukai, Takeda and the managers, who were doing their best to comfort Hinata and figure out what exactly had happened. 

Kageyama was supporting the red-head's back and helping him sit up-right as Yachi lodged two gym bags under his left leg. Kiyoko handed him some painkillers and water to help reduce the pain and swelling. Then Takeda looked into Hinata's tear-stained eyes and said: "Hinata, this is probably going to hurt, but we are going to need to take off your shoes and knee pads. Is that okay?" 

Through his pained expression, Hinata gave them a shaky nod, and swallowed hard at the prospect of moving his leg that much. His Sensei slowly leaned down and loosened his shoe, and placed it to the side to make room for his knee pad to come off. When Takeda lightly grabbed the edge of Hinata's knee pad, he sharply inhaled and stiffened, which prompted his setter to grab his hand tightly, and the vice captain to begin rubbing comforting circles on his back. Takeda began to remove the knee pad at a painstaking pace, with the intent to not disturb the injury further, but the action still elicited painful groans and tears from the ginger.

Finally, as the knee brace was rolled off of Hinata's foot, everyone who could see his knee collectively gasped at the sight that lay before them. Not because of how red and obviously swollen the middle third of his leg was, but because his kneecap was no longer facing straight towards the sky as it should. Instead, the rounded cartilage was protruding out of his skin at an angle unlike anything that they had ever seen before — with the flat side of the patella facing left. 

 

 


	2. The Pain, and the Pain of Reality

# Chapter2: The Pain, and the Pain of Reality

_Previously:_

_Finally, as the knee brace was rolled off of Hinata's foot, everyone who could see his knee collectively gasped at the sight that lay before them. Not because of how red and obviously swollen the middle third of his leg was, but because his kneecap was no longer facing straight towards the sky as it should — instead, the rounded cartilage was protruding out of his skin at an angle unlike anything that they had ever seen before — with the flat side of the patella was facing left._

 

* * *

 

The next few minutes were kind of a blur for Hinata. Even though the painkillers and the ice were starting to numb his knee, the pain still made everything hazy and strained. While he probably held a conversation or two with Sugawara or the nurse, he couldn't remember anything that he said other than the occasional "Yes" or "No". Everything finally came into focus for the red-head as the EMTs lifted his tiny frame onto the stretcher to carry him to the ambulance. One thought clearly ran through Shoyou's head: " _How am I gonna play..?_ "

Kageyama quickly turned to the adults and captains with uncharacteristic emotion and pain on his face. Without even having to ask, Ukai answered his silent plea. "Kageyama and I will go with Hinata to the hospital, and Takeda-Sensei will be in charge of the rest of you. Help the other teams clean up, and then load the bus and meet us at..." The blond coach turned to the nearest paramedic to ask which hospital they were going to.

"Tokyo West Medical Center" the man replied.

Ukai nodded and returned to face the team. "Got it?" The rest of the boys responded with a chorus of "Yes"es, and then split up around the gym. Kageyama and Ukai looked at each other, and without a second thought, headed out and piled into the ambulance behind the EMTs and Hinata's stretcher.

The setter's presence surprised Hinata, and he began to sit up, ready to ask him " _Why the hell are you here?!_ " But before he could even speak, the sudden movement caused another shot of pain to run through his body with a strained grunt. He decided to ignore his own question, and laid back into his previous position. Kageyama let out a sigh he didn't know he had been holding in, and took the seat closest to the ginger's uninjured leg, and placed a gentle hand on his thigh. He glanced at Hinata's face, which for the first time since the accident, didn't look like he was about to scream or punch something. Instead, a melancholy and dejected expression took its place. The pain that permeated the air around him brought a small pang to Kageyama's heart, and he realized his eyes had started to water. Instantly the brunette shifted his piercing gaze to anywhere and anything that wasn't Hinata.

-

The rest of Team Karasuno quickly piled into the bus after they finished up at the camp, and headed towards the hospital. Unlike the drive up, where every minute, somebody saw something new and exciting that was worth pointing out (loudly) to the whole group... this drive was uncomfortably silent. It only took about 15 minutes to reach the hospital; but it felt more like an eternity since the bus couldn't run red lights like an ambulance with it's sirens on could. Luckily Takeda thought to call Mrs. Hinata. Even though she couldn't get to the hospital for a good hour or two, she was still grateful to hear the updates about her son.

Finally after what seemed like an hour, the bus pulled into the parking lot of the Tokyo West Medical Center. As the boys disembarked, Takeda typed a quick text to the coach to figure out which room and floor to go to. Almost immediately, he felt his phone vibrate in response. 

> Ukai: They put Hinata's knee back in place and took an X-Ray in the Emergency Room, then they sent us across the street to the Medical Plaza to wait for the results. Kags is in the waiting room on floor 3. Just follow the signs for the Sports Medicine Wing, and you'll probably find him.

Takeda led the group across the street from the hospital towards the medical plaza, and found the correct building. Unlike an emergency room or hospital wing, the plaza was rather innocuous and was comprised of normal-looking offices. The lack of medical noise and overpowering antiseptic smell helped to keep everyone calm, and to diminish any thoughts of serious or permanent damage that might have happened to their star decoy.

When the team reached the Sports Medicine Wing, they saw Kageyama hunched over in a chair, with his head in his hands. Even though they knew that the setter always put on an air of annoyance and aggression around Hinata – and didn't actually hate him – his emotional response was a shock to them. The rest of the boys, along with the managers and Takeda, awkwardly took their seats in the unnervingly neat waiting room on the uncomfortably stiff chairs and couches. No one wanted to discuss the possible outcomes of this situation, so the silence remained stagnant.

After a short while, an office door opened to reveal an unfamiliar man, along with their coach who was pushing a wheelchair that contained the small redhead. Hinata wore an expression that could only be described as irked — which was a noticeable improvement from the last time they had seen him.

When the man reached into his coat pocket to pull out a small notepad, the entire team stiffened and turned their full attention toward him, waiting for the good _or_ bad news regarding their friend's injury. After scanning his notepad, the man gave a small smile and waved towards the occupants of the room.

"Good evening, my name is Dr. Suzuki. I specialize in sports medicine, and I will be working with Hinata until I can refer him to a trainer in Miyagi. Now, I have some good news, and I have some bad news..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I wrote it in the Dallas Love airport during my layover today, and I uploaded it earlier (like around 2pm CST), but I think I was having issues with AO3, because it never showed up in the Archive, and I need validation (i.e. Kudos and comments and hits), so when I found out that the archive was like "nah, you don't get ANY OF THAT when you get off of the plane you were on for 3 hours", I was obviously VERY excited.
> 
> So, I'm trying to reupload the chapter, and I'm just hoping it works better this go around.
> 
> For future reference, if AO3 messes this up again, make sure you subscribe to the fic, because otherwise you might never see it again in the archive, if you don't get the notification. 
> 
> Finally, I actually wrote chapter 3 while I was on the plane, but I still have to edit it, so it'll come sometime tomorrow or Monday. Until then, enjoy, and please leave kudos/comments/bookmarks if you like this fic!


	3. Ride or Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is obviously not literal. No one dies here. Nope, not in my fic. Not allowed. My precious baby crows don't deserve that. (I say as I write a hurt/comfort fic about sports injuries...)

# Chapter 3: Ride or Die

 _Previously:_  
_"Now, I have some good news, and I have some bad news..."_

 

* * *

 

Dr. Suzuki walked over to Shouyo in his wheelchair, placed both of his broad hands on his shoulders, and gave a sturdy squeeze, like he was trying to reassure the red-head that he was going to be fine.

"The good news is that Hinata didn't tear his ACL, or have any breaks or fractures." At this statement, everyone in the room let out a collective breath that they didn't know they were holding. "This means that for now, there is not a high risk of permanent damage, and he will not need surgery." Smiles broke out on everyone's faces, and it no longer felt like there was a blanket of dread smothering the room. However, Hinata's expression was still a mix of annoyance and slight pain.

"But that doesn't mean his knee is fine. Hinata has a pretty severe case of tendinitis. The tightness of his muscles and tendons, combined with the overuse and his fall, dislocated his patella, or kneecap. Even though neither of these things _should_ cause permanent damage, he will still need to be on crutches for a week or two, and wear a knee brace. In the coming weeks, his tendinitis could flare up and cause a lot of pain... and until his knee fully heals, there will still be a high risk of re-dislocation."

With the last statements from the doctor, Hinata winced, remembering the visceral pain from when his knee dislocated the first time – and when it was popped back into the socket. He shook off the memory and looked up at the man with the same determination and fire in his eyes that usually appears when somebody doubts his abilities on the volleyball court.

"But I can still play." Hinata probably meant this as a question, but it came out more like a statement of his intent to keep playing — even if the doctor told him not to. The determination emanating from the small boy surprised the doctor. Before Suzuki spoke, he scanned the room and could sense how much his answer would effect this team. He then ran a hand through his hair and let out a small laugh.

"Yes, Hinata, you can still play volleyball. But even if I said you couldn't, I have a feeling you would still find yourself back on that court." At that moment, the first sunshine-filled smile flew across Hinata's face since his injury. If he hadn't been confined to his wheel chair, or temporarily handicapped, there is no doubt he would have jumped so high that he could have touched the office ceiling. A "But–" interrupted the excitement. "You _have_ to take it easy. If you don't allow your knee the proper time it needs to heal, not only could you re-dislocate your knee, or injure other parts of your leg... but you could have a career-ending injury, like an ACL tear. I've prescribed you some pain killers, as well as some supplements to help speed up your recovery, and I've sent one of my associates to go grab some height-appropriate crutches for you to use."

Suzuki then turned to Ukai and Takeda. "He is not allowed to practice for 2 weeks – and even then, if you notice that his knee still isn't stable, or even get a feeling that he is pushing himself too hard, _please_ take him off of the court." The two older men nodded in understanding, and silently hoped that Hinata would be more cognizant of his own body and his own needs — but they knew that was a pipe dream. They both knew that if it was up to Hinata, he would keep jumping higher and faster, every single play, as long as it meant victory for Karasuno.

Before they left, the doctor and a younger assistant helped Hinata adjust his pair of crutches to his height, gave him two prescription bottles, and a few different knee braces, with corresponding information attached to each. Finally, albeit a bit slower than normal as the red-head adjusted to walking with his crutches, the team finally left the medical center and boarded the bus.

-

The bus ride back to Karasuno was rather quiet and uneventful, with everyone completely drained from the training camp, the stressful events of the day, and the fact that it was almost midnight by the time they got back. While everyone else slept, Hinata went back and forth between texting his mother and Kenma updates about what happened. His mother felt incredibly guilty that she wasn't there for her son, but she was also immensely grateful that his entire team and all of his friends stayed with her son throughout the whole ordeal. Not to mention grateful that her son wouldn't have to have surgery while he was still in high school.

Hinata quickly found out that sitting in a cramped place for extended periods of time (i.e. a bus ride) was not fun when you have a bad knee. While the pain was no where near as excruciating as it was earlier in the day, and not enough to push him to open his new prescription, it was not pleasant in the slightest. The new knee brace was so constricting, and even though he could feel it _literally holding his knee together_ , the fabric was pinching the bare skin underneath, and he could already feel a rash forming.

More than anything, his joint felt like a rubber band being stretched too tight, but the paranoia of possibly re-injuring his knee kept him from stretching his limb any farther. Shouyo could best describe the strange and vaguely painful feeling that flickered in his knee, as a constantly clenched fist or foot. The tightness was enough to where he was always aware of the feeling, and if he let it fester for long enough, the pain would flare and tense up as if a pressure point behind his knee had cramped.

The rest of the drive home allowed Hinata enough time to study a lengthy email that the doctor had sent to him with information regarding his injury, treatment, some stretches, and massages to help ease tension and pain. It also included the contact information for a colleague who worked as an athletic trainer near Aoba Josai's campus. Whenever the cramped feeling would flood over the edge of bearable, Hinata would try to massage at the muscle and the source of the pain. He was no where even close to being a masseuse, and it still took him a while to ease the tight feeling, but he could definitely see that the information the doctor had forwarded to him was useful. Even to an idiot like him.

-

Around midnight, the bus finally pulled into the Karasuno parking lot, and the rest of the team began to rub the sleep from their eyes, and stretch out their bodies in the limited space. Then everyone peeled out of the vehicle, and began to head towards their respective homes. By the time Ukai had left to return the bus, and Takeda had finished locking up the gym and equipment – the rest of the team had already been picked up or had begun their walks home. This left Hinata and Kageyama as the only two left in front of the school. Kageyama had silently promised to wait with the ginger until his mother could come and pick him up, but an awkward silence permeated the setting.

The brunette caught himself stealing quick glances at Hinata, but could feel a pain deep in his stomach every time he glimpsed a prescription bottle, a crutch, or the braced knee. Kageyama couldn't tell if the emotion he was feeling was sympathy...? Or guilt...? Or something else entirely... Either way, he didn't like the low buzzing feeling that made his stomach and chest hurt.

Out of seemingly no where, Tobio muttered a barely audible "Hey..." Which somehow still managed to capture the middle blocker's attention. "You're an idiot..."

This statement put an enraged sneer on Hinata's face. But then again, that's basically his resting face whenever he is around Kageyama. "What the hell Bakeyama?!"

Kageyama didn't even flinch at the derogatory nickname. "I wasn't finished, dumbass." He made a small fist, and lightly tapped it on Hinata's right thigh. "... I'm sorry..."

His actions and his words (and probably his medication) were sending Hinata's brain into a tailspin of confusion. "What for?! You didn't do anything... Unless you're apologizing for unnecessarily following me to the hospital, which was –"

"No I just —" he interrupted, then took in a shaky breath and looked at Hinata's face. "I... I shouldn't have kept tossing to you." Kageyama felt stupid and vulnerable and he could feel that his face was on fire. "I should have been paying more attention to your performance. If I hadn't kept tossing to you, you probably wouldn't be —"

Hinata's expression relayed an unparalleled shock and concern as he grabbed the setter's shoulders, and gave them a firm shake. "What are you talking about?! I'm the one who did this to myself! It was my jumps and it was me not realizing I should have stopped! I can't believe that you're blaming yourself, you stupid King! Not everything is about you!" With his last words, a small chuckle and smirk broke through Hinata's serious expression.

Playful anger and annoyance began to spread across 'The King's face at Hinata's words. But even though he absolutely hated when anyone called him 'King', he couldn't bring himself to actually be mad at the little ball of sunshine that was seated next to him. Before he could process anything else that was going on, or the fact that Hinata was _still_ holding him, a wave of light drowned them as Hinata's mother pulled up to the curb.

Kageyama was the first one to stand up, and he offered a hand to his incapacitated teammate. Hinata reluctantly took it, but only because he was still meager at best on his crutches. After he helped him gain his balance, the two slowly made their way to the car, with Hinata hobbling on his crutches a few steps behind Kageyama. By the time they reached the car, Hinata's mother had gotten out to give her son a much-needed hug, and to open the passenger side door.

As Hinata slowly struggled to situate himself in his seat without jostling his knee, his mother gave the other boy a questioning glance, and proceeded to open the back seat door as an invitation.

"Do you need a ride back to your house? You waited with my son, so it's the least I can do." She asked with a smile reminiscent of the one he admired so much, that was always present on Shouyo's face.

He paused and blinked for a second, analyzing what was just said to him, and then realized that he hadn't even thought about getting home. With a firm nod, and his best attempt at a smile, he climbed into the backseat of the car. As he sat down, Kageyama realized just how exhausted he really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so just for clarification, I AM NOT A DOCTOR, NOR AN EXPERT IN THE MEDICAL FIELD OR ABOUT INJURIES OF ANY SORT, and I do not claim to be. However, I have been injured to an almost comical amount, including any and all injuries described in this fic. While tendinitis and dislocation are not life threatening or permanent by any stretch, they are no laughing matter (and can be VERY painful). So if you recognize any of these symptoms, or even just feel like something is _off_ , PLEASE GO TO THE DOCTOR. 
> 
> PLEASE take care of your body, and be better than me!!! At age 20, I have probably the body and broken-ness of 60 year old, and it's all (mostly) because I'm an idiot who never listens to their body. Don't be me, don't be stupid, and please take care of yourself!!!! 
> 
> \----- 
> 
> Also, fun fact: I was stuck on a plane for about 6 hours today, so I was literally just writing about my own knee pain and how much I hate traveling, just under the guise of a fanfiction.  
> Last thing, if you notice that there are no comments on a chapter/you might be the first person who has clicked on the new chapter, PLEASE comment or do something. Because AO3 has been acting up for me, and I've been getting very paranoid about whether or not my work is actually showing up or not. Even if it's just a "Yep, it's up.", that will be so helpful to ease my anxiety regarding uploading chapters. It doesn't have to be anything nice or constructive. I just need to know that other people can see the chapter. Thanks, and now I _really_ can't promise frequent or scheduled updates, but I will still try!


	4. The Little Things

# Chapter 4: The Little Things

_Previously:_

_He paused and blinked for a second, analyzing what was just said to him, and then realized that he hadn't even thought about getting home. With a firm nod, and his best attempt at a smile, he climbed into the backseat of the car. As he sat down, Kageyama realized just how exhausted he really was._  

* * *

The short drive home was spent mostly in silence — or it was at least silent from the backseat where Kageyama was lost in his thoughts. Hinata and his mom were eagerly gabbing away about the incidents of the day. Or, the eagerness might have just been how their voices naturally sound, since Kageyama wasn't really paying attention to the subject matter (however he couldn't imagine that a conversation revolving around a hospital could be happy). He was finally jarred out of his stupor when he saw a small, calloused hand waving in front of his face. 

"Oi! Bakeyama!" Called the ginger who was turned around in around to face him from the front seat. However the derogatory (but still affectionate) nickname angered his mother — who lightly smacked the back of Shoyou's head.

"Shoyou!" She exclaimed. "That is no way to speak to your friend!"

The scene playing out in front of him brought a slight chuckle to Tobio's face, and even a small crack of a smile. However, if Hinata or anyone else had accused him of smiling, he would vehemently deny it. Seeing that kind of family dynamic and bond was a much welcomed contrast to Kageyama's family. He hardly ever saw his mother, since he was a latchkey child. His mother worked long hours almost every day, and when she didn't... She could usually be found at one of many men's houses. And his father was a whole different monster. 

"Don't worry about it Mrs... Hi... Hinata..." the phrase and honorific felt foreign on his tounge, since he usually just spat out the name at his friend. "Hinata and I have called each other way worse." This caused the older woman to shoot a glare at her son.

"Well I guess we will have to discuss that later..." The mother than turned her attention back towards the road, and the conversation back towards Kageyama. "Where do you live Kageyama?" 

Again, Kageyama cursed himself for not only spacing out (again) but for being an idiot and assuming that somehow, they would know where to drop him off, where this hellish day would finally come to an end.

"I... I live down towards Aoba Josai. Do you know where the shopping center with the convenience store, tea shop and Bank of Japan is?" Hinata's mom nodded. "Well, I live in the neighborhood behind it and to the right. Once you reach the stoplight, you take a left and my house will be on the right." 

The drive itself took about 12 to 15 minutes, and since Kageyama knew that he had to stay alert to give directions, he resigned himself to staring out the window at the familiar scenery. He could still listen in on bits and pieces of the conversation — well it was hard not to since they were so loud — but he didn't really feel up to contributing since all of his social energy had been drained from the training camp and the hospital excursion. 

Soon, the car passed by the aforementioned shopping center, and Kageyama perked up to give some small, more specific directions that led them to the driveway of a suburban house with no lights on, and no car in the driveway. When they put the car in 'park' Kageyama grabbed his bags, and quickly muttered "Thank you!" to the car's occupants, before practically running up the driveway to get inside. 

Hinata's mom simply smiled and gave a small wave while Hinata unrolled his window to shout "See you tomorrow, Bakeyama!!", which again, resulted in a light smack on the head from the red-head's mom. 

-

As soon as Kageyama opened the door, he threw his backpack, duffle and volleyball bag onto the floor, and directly on to the couch in his living room. He sat there for a few good minutes, contemplating sleep, but knew that for a few reasons, he couldn't just pass out there. If on the off-chance his mother actually came home, she would probably be furious that he hadn't cleaned up. And that he was taking up her favorite place to pass out after a night of drinking. Plus, he knew that after a week of training in Tokyo with less-than-ideal communal showers, he felt disgusting. The brunette let out a loud sigh, and forced himself to get off of the squared, modern couch. Kageyama grabbed his bags that had been previously thrown on the floor, and dragged them down the hallway and into his room. He fished his phone out of his pocket, and looked at the lit screen that displayed a "00:49".

Sighing, he entered the bathroom, placed his phone on the counter, and began to shed the clothes from his body along with the weight of the day that grew heavy on his shoulders. Without a second thought, he forcefully turned the shower knob all the way up, and stepped in. The immediate, ice-cold water that pounded itself into his skin provided for a stark wake up call that alerted all of his senses. After a couple of seconds, the water grew rapidly warmer, until the jets were scorching his pale skin. The sensation caused every muscle in Kageyama's body to relax, and the tension that had built up over the past week to release itself. He stood there for a few minutes, head still directly underneath the steady stream of water, basking in the powerful feeling, without a single worry. Until a seemingly inconspicuous thought ran through his mind.

_"How on Earth is Hinata going to be able to shower with that knee...?"_

Because of the distracting pressure coursing over his body, it took him a few seconds to realize what he just thought — and when he did, his steely blue eyes shot straight open. He braced one hand against the tile shower wall, while the other ran through his hair to pull the sopping wet locks out of his face. 

"Jesus Christ—" the brunette cursed, and hit his fist against the tile. "Did I really just think about Hinata _in the shower_??! While _I_ was in the shower?!" 

He quickly turned the knob to display a much more reasonable temperature (that probably wouldn't subject him to heat exhaustion) and grabbed a nearby bottle of shampoo. The next few minutes, Kageyama focused on being succinct, getting out of the shower quickly, and _not_  letting his thoughts wander again. In the course of about 3 minutes, he managed to shampoo, rinse his hair, and frantically scrub at his sore body with soap, before rinsing and twisting the water pressure to "off". 

Tobio took a shaky breath in, and the steam engulfed his lungs, as he grabbed a black towel off a rack. He draped the towel over his head and winced, because without the distraction of the water, a certain mandarin orange boy's face kept running through his thoughts. However it wasn't just his face. The _accident_ , his expression, the scream, the visceral image of his dislocated knee, the tight grip Hinata kept on Kageyama when they put it back in place, and the dejected pain that he could see on the red-head's face — it all played on repeat in Kageyama's mind like a fucked up highlight reel. 

He took a step out of the shower and grabbed the towel off of his head, and threw it to the floor in frustration. A "Damn it!" echoed through the bathroom and the empty house. The setter dragged both hands over his scalp, probably hard enough to leave welts and scratch marks from his nails. With his head in his hands, he sat down with a heavy _thud_  on the toilet, and tried to will his body to stop shaking. He didn't know if it was out of guilt or frustration or WHAT, but Kageyama couldn't take it.

After a fair amount of time, and some increasingly steady breaths, Tobio loosened the death grip he had on his scalp, and sat up much straighter than before. He turned to the bathroom counter, saw his smart phone, and grabbed it to check the display again.

| **No New Messages |**

Kageyama sighed, not knowing what he was expecting, but still tapped the little icon for messages anyway. A small orange icon grew on his screen, and he doesn't know why, but the brunette began typing a message. 

**|Kageyama (01:12): Yo, if you haven't passed out yet, go ice your knee. And make sure you take your meds**

He was about to turn his phone off and throw it across the room — because he doesn't know _what_ made him send that vaguely caring (and disgusting) text, but he wanted to vomit — when he felt the small buzz of a response. 

**| Hinata (01:13): I can take care of myself perfectly fine without you Bakeyama!**

**| Kageyama (01:14): but were you icing your knee? And have you actually taken your meds?**

**| Hinata (01:17): ...**

**| Kageyama (01:17): you know I'm right**

**| Hinata (01:18): shut up**

**| Kageyama (01:25): speaking of being right, did you figure out how you're getting to school?**

**| Hinata (01:27): 1) you're never right**

**| Hinata (01:27): 2)**   **my mom works, so she can't take me, but the bus picks up just around the corner from my house, so I'm gonna catch it**

**| Hinata (01:28): 3) why the hell do you care**

**| Kageyama (01:32): well, I figured with you being the dumbass you are, there was a good chance you would end up trying to ride your bike.**

**| Kageyama (01:33): or you would completely forget that you had to figure out how to get to school, and end up trying to walk**

**| Hinata (01:35): even IM not that dumb, Bakeyama**

 

Kageyama just smirked diwn at his phone, knowing he had won their argument, but couldn't think of anything else to really say for a good few minutes. He finally resigned, and tapped out a small message to the little fireball.

 

**| Kageyama (01:43): get some rest**

 

The brunette took a small, much more solid breath in, and looked at the time; he couldn't believe that it was already almost 2am. Still, as he was able to breath normally, he was grateful that he was no longer overcome by... Whatever emotion he was feeling earlier.

He stood up, looked in the no-longer foggy mirror, and shared what seemed almost like a non-verbal conversation with his reflection. Kageyama sighed, and began going through the motions of his nightly routine: brushing his teeth, washing his face, and getting stuff ready for the next day.

In what seemed like only a few seconds, he felt himself sink into the comforting warmth of his own bed. The bright blue-toned light from his phone screen dimly lit the room as he scrolled through his apps to close out any notifications that he wouldn't be able to check in the morning. Finally, he selected his clock app, and began setting a new alarm. It was about five after two, but he didn't mind, because he knew he was going to get terrible sleep anyway. Kageyama usually set his alarm for 7:15 so he would have ample time to eat breakfast and walk to school. However, he set his alarm for about 6:30am, so he could figure out how to use a new mode of transportation.

With a small _click_ , the sleepy setter locked the screen, and set it beside his bed. It wasn't too long before the young high schooler drifted off to sleep.

 

-+-+-+-+-+-

 

Hinata struggled to adjust his morning routine, and basically everything else, to his new level of mobility. Not only would he constantly forget his crutches everywhere — and INSTANTLY regret it as he would take a step on his bad leg — but he was also far slower than he liked. His crutches were bulky and obtrusive (not nearly as bad as it would have been if the doctors had given him standard height crutches) so he ran into things, or bumped into them with his new wider stance. The red-head had broken bones before, and had dealt with casts, but this was completely different. As opposed to stopping any and all movement, and protecting the injured area with a cast, his brace merely offered support and stability. It did not, however, stop the normal movements of his knee, which he had to make a conscious effort to minimize.

His brace was mostly made up of a smooth, rubbery black fabric that stretched around his knee. There were different straps around his calf and thigh that allowed him to increase or decrease the pressure and tightness. A conveniently knee-shaped hole displayed a small window of skin, however there were sturdy pieces of plastic, that formed a more secure method of keeping his knee in place, along with some gear-like pieces on the sides of the knee. Overall, it wasn't the pinnacle of fashion, but he figured it was better than some bright, neon cast.

That morning before school was hectic to say the least. With trying to get everything back to normal after being in Tokyo for a week, _plus_  having to adjust to using his crutches was no small task. Finally, through all the chaos, Hinata saw the time — almost 8am. He couldn't risk not being ready for the bus on time. It's a good thing he packed and left when he did, because maneuvering down a few steps and the rest of his driveway was a lot more difficult than he cared to admit. Shortly after he hobbled down the driveway, a large mustard-colored bus pulled up to his next door neighbors house, and he crutched his way over to the steps.  

He couldn't have imagined just how terrible stairs were. When you have a bad knee or leg or whatever, stairs are your worst enemy. But a small, cramped stairway with steep steps — like on a bus — is even worse. After a few failed attempts to step up with his crutches, and a very frustrated expression, the bus driver offered to take his crutches, since it would be easier without them. She put them behind her seat for him to take later, and Shoyou used his arms and the railings on either side to propel himself up the stairs. 

 _"_ God, I hate stairs"the red-head groaned as he finally boarded the bus, and began hopping down the aisle, while gaining support from the seats beside him. Suddenly, he stopped when he saw a familiar face sitting in front of him.

"HUUUUUUUUUHHHHH???!?!" He yelled. "What are YOU doing here?!!?!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry that this took so long I write, but I have had terrible writers block, AND technical difficulties that I think around Wednesday, erased ALL of my work, so I had to start over. I'm going to try to have a more consistent schedule from now on, so hopefully I'll be able to update bi-weekly.
> 
> FYI, again I took some liberties with the canon, because there isn't TOO too much information about how everyone gets to school (besides Hinata who usually bikes) I just inferred through what I knew were available options. I kind of pleaded with my tumblr followers to help me figure out how Kags got to school, and they said he walked, BUT ALSO that appatently in the light novels, that some of Hinata's friends take the bus... SO I figured that was a good enough mode of transportation for them, because it's not like Hinata was gonna walk to school on that knee. 
> 
> Lastly, as always, if you enjoy my work, please feel free to leave a comment/kudos/bookmark/subscribe/WHATEVER, because it means a lot to me to know that you guys enjoy it! So thanks, and I guess I'll see y'all when I upload the next chapter!


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